Three questions

[Actor]

I just finished reading Man o'War by Dorothy Ours. It brought up some questions.


In the days when Man o'War was running there was no starting gate. A net called the barrier was strung across the track and jerked upward at the start. Question 1: when and where was the starting gate first used? Who invented it?
There being no PA systems in 1920 the crowd would yell "They're off!" at the start. Question 2: when and where was the first race called over a PA system?
Stopwatches were used with an accuracy of 1/5 second. The timer's reaction time had a heavy influence on the result. Question 3: when and where were electromechanical timing systems first used?

[OTM Al]

In fact the net wasn't always used either and starts were also just as they still are for the jumpers. Here is some info about the gate

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starting_gate

I actually saw a Puett truck when driving to the BC coincidently enough...

[DJofSD]

Q2: it was not Keeland.

[macguy]

According to this site, Arlington Park was the first racetrack to do just about everything. Not sure how accurate it is, though.

http://ezinearticles.com/?History-of-Arlington-Park&id=1276350

[InsideThePylons-MW]

1967, U.S., Edison

1967, U.S.

1967, U.S.

[ihatenyra]

I found this write once online and saved it because of how good it was. It's a long read but it show's the true brilliance of man o war



The legendary racing historian John Hervey ("Salvator"), writing in the inaugural volume of "American Race Horses" (1936) said that Man o' War's "renown is not confined to his own land. It has circled the globe and there is no doubt that he is the most widely famous horse in the world."

In the sixteen months between June 1919 and October 1920, Man o' War rewrote the record books. His victories included the Keene Memorial Stakes, Youthful Stakes, Hudson Stakes, Tremont Stakes, United States Hotel Stakes, Grand Union Hotel Stakes, Hopeful Stakes, Belmont Futurity, Preakness Stakes, Withers Stakes, Belmont Stakes, Stuyvesant Handicap, Dwyer Stakes, Miller Stakes, Travers Stakes, Lawrence Realization Stakes, Jockey Club (now the Gold Cup) Stakes, Potomac Handicap and Kenilworth Park Gold Cup.

He was odds-on in all 21 of his races -- three times being quoted by bookmakers at 1-100. He won the Belmont Stakes by 20 lengths and the Lawrence Realization by 100 lengths. He beat the best horses of his time, including John P. Grier and Triple Crown winner Sir Barton.

Man o' War's time records included:

New World Record, Dwyer Stakes, 1 1/8 miles
New World Record, Belmont Stakes, 1 3/8 miles
New World Record, Lawrence Realization, 1 5/8 miles
New American Record, Jockey Club Stakes, 1 1/2 miles
New American Record, Withers Stakes, 1 mile
New Track Record, Kenilworth Park Gold Cup, 1 1/4 miles
New Track Record, Potomac Handicap, 1 1/16 miles
Equaled Track Record, Travers Stakes, 1 1/4 miles

On nearly a dozen occasions, the interior fractions of his races were completed in times that would have broken American and/or world records.

His records stood the test of time. His 1-1/2 mile American record stood for 17 years.

He didn't just take a tick off time records, he obliterated them. Up against Triple Crown winner Sir Barton, Man o' War took more than SIX full seconds off the track record for 1 1/4 miles at Kenilworth Park.

He won easily over tracks labeled fast, good and sloppy.

He won at distances from five furlongs to 1-5/8 miles.

He won on straight courses and on both clockwise and counter-clockwise courses.

He carried and won with 130 pounds five times as a TWO-year old.

At three, he won with 131 pounds in the Miller Stakes, 135 pounds in the Stuyvesant and 138 pounds in the Potomac.

He gave extreme weight concessions to the competition. In one race, the second high weight carried 32 pounds less.

At three, he consistently gave major weight concessions to, and beat, older horses.

He retired as the greatest money-winning Thoroughbred ever.

Writing in the 1947 volume of "American Race Horses," another legendary racing writer and historian, Joe Palmer, said of Big Red:

"He did not beat, he merely annihilated. He did not run to world records, he galloped to them. He was so far superior to his contemporaries that, except for one race against John P. Grier, they could not extend him. In 1920 he dominated racing as perhaps no athlete -- not Tilden or Jones or Dempsey or Louis or Nurmi or Thorpe or any human athlete -- had dominated his sport."

In 23 years at stud, Man o' War produced 64 stakes winners, including Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year War Admiral. The fillies he sired became outstanding broodmares who foaled 124 stakes winners.

At the time of the chestnut colt's retirement from the track, Riddle was offered $1 million for him. He turned it down. It would be more than 35 years before any Thoroughbred would be sold for that amount.

From 1921 until three months before his death in 1947, Man o' War would be visited in Lexington, KY, first at Riddle's Hinata Farm and then at his nearby Faraway Farms, by estimates that ranged from a low of 1.5 million to more than 3 million people. These were people who came from all over the world to this small town in the middle of nowhere and traveled the tiny country road -- Russell Cave Pike -- to reach the farm. All for a glimpse of a legend.

Following Man o' War's death at age 30 on November 1, 1947, Joe Palmer wrote, "The old days now at last were dead, the last link snapped. The American Turf had lost, and perhaps would never have again, a single living symbol, a breathing, high-headed, fiery horse which meant, 'Racing!' to every man of racing, and to every wandering tourist from Portland, or San Diego or Athens, Ga."

Palmer added, "For Man o' War was, if not more than a horse, then more than a horse had ever been before." To which I would add, "or after."

In memory of the greatest Thoroughbred of the 20th Century --and the millennium -- on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of his birth.

"He's nice and he's smart, but don't ever try to force him or you'll come out second best every time," "Ask him and he'll do what you want. Push him and it's all off."

[Grits]

A fitting tribute, thanks so much for posting!!! :)

[Grits]

http://www.drf.com/blogs/man-o-war-final-portrait

This is another piece about "the mostest hoss that ever was" that Barbara Livingston, photographer, and now, writer, as well, wrote a few weeks ago for DRF.

Its a true story of Barbara's endearing love for Man O War and how she came to own the last photograph ever taken of him, along with the negatives of some of our true legends.

Mr. James Sames decided that afternoon whom to entrust his work to. He was correct, no one, anywhere, could treasure it more than Barbara.

[Cardus]

But did Man O'War ever run on synthetics?

[Actor]

At three, he consistently gave major weight concessions to, and beat, older horses.According to Dorothy Ours the only older horse Man o'War ever ran against was Sir Barton. Sir Barton carried 126 lbs; Man o'War 120 lbs.

He retired as the greatest money-winning Thoroughbred ever.Man o'War retired as the greatest American money winning thoroughbred ever. At the time of his retirement he was ranked 4th world wide.

I think the greatest testament to Man o'War is that in his last race (against Sir Barton) he threw a shoe seven furlongs from the finish and still won.

[ihatenyra]

According to Dorothy Ours the only older horse Man o'War ever ran against was Sir Barton.


I took a look at his record and you're right, that was the only older horse he ever faced and he was getting weight. Even though that doesn't diminish his greatness, I'll have to remove that line from the piece.

[OTM Al]

I believe Sir Barton was considered a shadow of what he was the year before by the time this race was run. That hundred length win was simply the result of a single horse entering against him that was a cheap claimer that was there only so the race would happen. After the Preakness, Man o' War ran against nothing in his 3yo year with average starters being around 3 per race. Personally the most interesting thing I find about him is that he was the last to win the Belmont run clockwise.